Scientists are only just unravelling the
precise mysteries of why we sleep P2
ONCOLOGY NeWs

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Sleep
'boosts
brain cell
numbers'

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PAGE 9

Mammograms should begin at age 40, researcher says

ew breast cancer
research reveals a
significant death rate
among women under
50 who forgo regular
mammograms and casts doubt on
recent screening guidelines from
a U.S. panel of experts.
The findings support the merit of
regular mammograms, especially
for younger women, said study
researcher Dr. Blake Cady,
professor emeritus of surgery at
Harvard Medical School and
Massachusetts General Hospital
in Boston.
"I would propose that women
start screening at age 40," Cady
said. Younger women tend to
have faster-growing, more
aggressive tumors, experts say.
When mammograms should start
and how often they should be
repeated has been a controversial
subject. In 2009, the U.S.
Preventive Services Task Force, a

panel of experts that makes
recommendations about health
practices, said women aged 50 to
74 should get screening
mammograms every two years.
Women under 50, the panel said,
should talk to their doctors and
decide whether to be screened
based on potential benefits, such
as early detection, and harms,
including over-treatment and
anxiety caused by false-positive
results.
The American Cancer Society
and other organizations,
however, have continued to
recommend annual screening
beginning at age 40 for women
at average risk. More than
40,000 women die of breast
cancer in the United States each
year.
For the new study, published
online Sept. 9 in the journal
Cancer, researchers evaluated
more than 600 breast cancer
deaths, looking back at
mammography records and other

details.
Seventy-one percent of the
deaths occurred among
unscreened women, most of
them younger, Cady found. Half
of all the breast cancer deaths
occurred in women under age 50,
while only 13 percent of the
women who died of breast
cancer were 70 and older.
For the study, Cady and his
colleagues tracked invasive
breast cancer cases from their
diagnoses, between 1990 and
1999, until 2007. Patients were
treated at Partners HealthCare

hospitals in Boston. The
researchers had access to
mammography use, surgery and
pathology reports, and dates of
death.
Cady's team used a technique
called "failure analysis," in
which scientists look back to see
what might have gone wrong.
"It's the converse of a
randomized trial, which starts at
point A and follows people until
the end of the study," Cady said.
"We follow people who have
died and go backward to their
original diagnosis and find out
the details."
Women were described as
unscreened if they had never had
a mammogram or it had been
more than two years since their
last mammogram.
The findings confirmed the
benefits of earlier screening,
some experts said.
"[The study] presents a very
compelling argument in favor of
screening beginning at age 40 on

an annual basis," said Dr.
Barbara Monsees, chairwoman
of the American College of
Radiology Breast Imaging
Commission, who was not
involved in the research. "It
corroborates what we have
known for a long time."
Overall, the study also showed
an increase in breast cancer
survival coinciding with the
emergence of mammography.
Half of women diagnosed with
breast cancer in 1969 died within
13 years after diagnosis,
compared to about 9 percent of
those diagnosed between 1990
and 1999 who were included in
this study.
Although some experts have
credited the decline in breast
cancer death rates to improved
treatments, the study shows that's
not the whole story, Monsees
said. "This paper shows the
decline is primarily due to earlier
detection and better screening,"
she said.
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September 2013

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MEDICAL NEWS

Sleep 'boosts brain
cell numbers'

BBC News Health

S

Myelin ensheaths nerves to protect them and speed up their signalling.

cientists believe they
have discovered a new
reason why we need to
sleep - it replenishes a
type of brain cell.
Sleep ramps up the production of
cells that go on to make an
insulating material known as
myelin which protects our brain's
circuitry.
The findings, so far in mice,
could lead to insights about
sleep's role in brain repair and
growth as well as the disease
MS, says the Wisconsin team.

B

The work is in the Journal of
Neuroscience.
Dr Chiara Cirelli and colleagues
from the University of Wisconsin
found that the production rate of
the myelin making cells,
immature oligodendrocytes,
doubled as mice slept.
The increase was most marked
during the type of sleep that is
associated with dreaming - REM
or rapid eye movement sleep and was driven by genes.
In contrast, the genes involved in
cell death and stress responses

were turned on when the mice
were forced to stay awake.
Precisely why we need to
sleep has baffled scientists for
centuries. It's obvious that we
need to sleep to feel rested
and for our mind to function
well - but the biological
processes that go on as we
slumber have only started to
be uncovered relatively
recently.
Growth and repair
Dr Cirelli said: "For a long
time, sleep researchers
focused on how the activity
of nerve cells differs when
animals are awake versus
when they are asleep.
"Now it is clear that the way
other supporting cells in the
nervous system operate also
changes significantly
depending on whether the
animal is asleep or awake."
The researchers say their
findings suggest that sleep
loss might aggravate some
symptoms of multiple
sclerosis (MS), a disease that
damages myelin.

Gut bacteria 'may be obesity weapon'
By James Gallagher

health and science reporter,
BBC News

acteria living in our
guts seem to be
affecting our waistlines
and harnessing them
could lead to new ways of
shedding the pounds, US
research suggests.
The human body is teeming with
thousands of species of microbes
that affect health.
A study showed that
transplanting gut bacteria from
obese people into mice led to the
animals gaining weight, while
bacteria from lean people kept
them slim.
The findings were published in
Science.
Researchers at the Washington
University School of Medicine,
Missouri, took gut bacteria from
pairs of twins - one obese, one
thin.

Bacteria - the next weapon in the
war against obesity?

The bacteria were then put into
mice which had grown up in
completely sterile environments
and had no gut bacteria of their
own.
Mice with the obese twin's
bacteria became heavier and put
on more fat than mice given
bacteria from a lean twin - and it
was not down to the amount of
food being eaten.
There were differences in the
number and types of bacteria
species from the lean and obese
twin.

Overall it seemed those from
a lean twin were better at
breaking down fibre into
short-chain fatty acids. It
meant the body was taking up
more energy from the gut, but
the chemicals were
preventing fatty tissue from
building up and increased the
amount of energy being
burned.
One of the researchers, Prof
Jeffrey Gordon, told the
BBC's Science in Action
programme: "We don't dine
alone, we dine with trillions
of friends - we have to
consider the microbes which
live in our gut."
However, the diet was also
important for creating the
right conditions for the lean
twin's bacteria to flourish. A
bacterial obesity therapy
seems unlikely to work
alongside a a diet of greasy
burgers.

E

E-cigarettes 'as effective'
as nicotine patches
By James Gallagher

health and science reporter, BBC
News

lectronic cigarettes
appear to be at least as
effective as nicotine
patches in helping
people to give up smoking,
research suggests.

The devices, which are rapidly
growing in popularity, produce a
vapour containing nicotine.

The findings, presented at the
European Respiratory Society,
showed similar numbers quitting
with e-cigarettes as patches, but
more had cut down.
There was a call, however, for
long-term data on safety.

As well as giving a nicotine hit,
the e-cigarettes also mimic the
sensory sensations of smoking.
This has led to speculation that
they may be a useful tool for
people trying to quit.
A team at the University of
Auckland, in New Zealand,
conducted the first clinical trial
comparing the devices with
nicotine patches in 657 people.
The results published in the
Lancet showed 7.3% using ecigarettes had quit after six
months compared with 5.8%
using patches. However, the
study did not involve enough
people to definitively prove
which is the better option.

After six months, however, the
57% of e-cigarette users had
halved the number of cigarettes
smoked each day compared with
41% in those using patches.

'Increasing popularity'
Prof Chris Bullen, from the
University of Auckland, said:
"While our results don't show
any clear-cut differences between
e-cigarettes and patches in terms
of 'quit success' after six months,
it certainly seems that ecigarettes were more effective in
helping smokers who didn't quit
to cut down.
"It's also interesting that the
people who took part in our
study seemed to be much more
enthusiastic about e-cigarettes
than patches.

"Given the increasing popularity
of these devices in many
countries, and the accompanying
regulatory uncertainty and
inconsistency, larger, longer-term
trials are urgently needed to
establish whether these devices
might be able to fulfil their
potential as effective and popular
smoking cessation aids."

Regulations around the world are
catching up with the surge in the
popularity of e-cigarettes. The
EU and the UK are both working
towards regulating e-cigarettes in
the same way as medicines.
The products also divide opinion
with some arguing they
normalise smoking and others
saying they may help people to
give up.

Prof Peter Hajek, the director of
the Tobacco Dependence
Research Unit at Queen Mary
University of London, described
the study as "pioneering". "The
key message is that in the
context of minimum support, ecigarettes are at least as effective
as nicotine patches.

Global Health Tribune is a newspaper published every month
in Palm Beach county and surrounding areas. Copyright 2013,
all rights reserved by SEA Publications, Inc. Contents may not
be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the
publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse
advertising. The publisher does not accept responsibility for
advertisement error beyond the cost of the advertisement itself.
All submitted materials are subject to editing.

www.GlobalHealthTribune.com

September 2013

Page 3

THE FORGOTTEN FOOT

Heal that wound, Save Your Leg, Save Your Life

D

Arthur Hansen DPM, M.S.

o you or someone you
know have a stubborn
sore that just will not
seem to heal?

Perhaps it’s a scratch, blister,
open wound, or any area that
seems to bleed when you knick
it, but doesn’t seem to heal. If
so, you may have a chronic
wound. With the constant
development of new treatments,
new drugs, earlier diagnoses, and
preventive education, we as a
population are living longer even with diseases and maladies
that in the past would have
shortened our life span.
Most chronic wounds are
associated with systemic disease
processes that inhibit the wound
healing. Therefore, since our
population is living longer with
these systemic disease processes,
the chronic wound care
population is increasing.
A chronic wound is a wound that
fails to heal or show significant
improvement within a certain

time frame, usually four weeks.
It can present to the wound care
physician in a number of ways.
Wounds can present as open
draining sores, a break in the
skin that just does not heal, a
recurring blister or open area that
bleeds, or an open draining sore.
Chronic wounds without
appropriate treatment are likely
to become infected and
unfortunately, many will lead to
leg amputations. Following a
below knee amputation,
mortality rates of the patient
increase significantly over the
next 5-15 years.

When developing a treatment plan we
always consider the following:

Pressure Ulcers
• Reduce pressure--select appropriate
pressure reduction support surface
Some characteristics of common chronic wound factors that we
identify when first developing a treatment plan are outlined below: for both chair and bed.
• Minimize skin exposure to moisture
from incontinence, perspiration, or
wound drainage.
• Minimize environmental factors
leading to drying of skin, such as
exposure to cold.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
• Surgical obliteration or ligation of
veins
• Valvular repair
• Compression therapy
• Elevation

The wound care physician must
first determine expected
outcomes of any wound. The
outcome is healing. However,
many factors influence the
outcome measurement of a
chronic wound; therefore, a
comprehensive assessment is the
significant starting point. The
patient's health history is the first
critical indicator of one's ability
to heal. Disease processes such
as peripheral arterial disease,
pulmonary disease, diabetes,
immune deficiencies, poor
nutrition, collagen vascular
diseases, and malignancies are
all known to impede wound
healing and must be identified
and addressed.

At LA Podiatry, we view healing
wounds as a priority. Our physicians
offer services at three local wound
care centers and have working
relationships with other specialists
that aid in wound healing.
As wound care specialists, we know
that healing wounds – save legs and
save lives.

Therefore, determining the cause
of the wound is first and
foremost followed by identifying
any complicating factors

Conservative &
Surgical Treatments
Available
Whirlpool
with every visit!

associated with the patient’s health, care setting, financial
situation, and/or the patient's expectations. Once all of the above
considerations have been taken into account, then an aggressive
plan of action can be developed specific to the patient.

lifetime of too much
copper in our diets
may be contributing
to Alzheimer's
disease, US scientists say.
However, research is divided,
with other studies suggesting
copper may actually protect the
brain.
The latest study in Proceedings
of the National Academy of
Sciences showed high levels of
copper left the brain struggling to
get rid of a protein thought to
cause the dementia.
Copper is a vital part of our diet
and necessary for a healthy body.
Tap water coming through
copper pipes, red meat and
shellfish as well as fruit and
vegetables are all sources of
dietary copper.
Barrier
The study on mice, by a team at
the University of Rochester in
New York, suggested that copper
interfered with the brain's
shielding - the blood brain
barrier.
Mice that were fed more copper
in their water had a greater buildup of the metal in the blood
vessels in the brain.
The team said this interfered
with the way the barrier
functioned and made it harder for
the brain to get rid of a protein

www.GlobalHealthTribune.com

called beta amyloid.
One of the hallmarks of
Alzheimer's disease is the
formation of plaques of amyloid
in the dying brain.
Lead researcher Dr Rashid
Deane said: "It is clear that, over
time, copper's cumulative effect
is to impair the systems by which
amyloid beta is removed from
the brain."
He told the BBC that copper also
led to more protein being
produced: "It's a double
whammy of increased production
and decreased clearance of
amyloid protein.
"Copper is a very essential metal
ion and you don't want a
deficiency and many nutritious
foods also contain copper."
However, he said taking
supplements may be "going
overboard a bit".

Mixed evidence
Commenting on the latest
findings, Chris Exley, professor
of bioinorganic chemistry at
Keele University, said there was
"no true consensus" on the role
of copper in Alzheimer's disease.
His research on human brains
reached the opposite conclusion:
"In our most recent work we
found evidence of lower total
brain copper with ageing and
Alzheimer's. We also found that
lower brain copper correlated
with higher deposition of beta
amyloid in brain tissue.
"He said at the moment we
would expect copper to be
protective and beneficial in
neurodegeneration, not the
instigator, but we don't know.
"The exposure levels used mean
that if copper is acting in the
way they think it does in this
study then it must be doing so in
everyone."
Dr Eric Karran, from
Alzheimer's Research UK, said:
"While the findings present
clues to how copper could
contribute to features of
Alzheimer's in mice, the results
will need replicating in further
studies. It is too early to know
how normal exposure to copper
could be influencing the
development or progression of
Alzheimer's in people. "

L

Blood test can tell if you are suicidal
ONDON: A simple
blood test can now
identify people most
prone to committing

suicide.
Scientists from Indiana
University School of Medicine
researchers have found a series
of RNA biomarkers in blood that
may help identify who is at risk
for taking their on life.
Researchers said the biomarkers
were found at significantly
higher levels in the blood of both
bipolar disorder patients with
thoughts of suicide as well in a
group of people who had
committed suicide.
Researchers now believe the
results provide a first "proof of
principle" for a test that could
provide an early warning of
somebody being at higher risk
for an impulsive suicide act.
"Suicide is a big problem in
psychiatry. It's a big problem in
the civilian realm, it's a big
problem in the military realm
and there are no objective
markers. There are people who
will not reveal they are having
suicidal thoughts when you ask
them, who then commit it and

there's nothing you can do about
it. We need better ways to
identify, intervene and prevent
these tragic cases," said
investigator Dr Alexander B
Niculescu, director of the
Laboratory of Neurophenomics
at the Institute of Psychiatric
Research at the IU School of
Medicine.
Over three years, Niculescu and
his colleagues followed a large
group of patients diagnosed with
bipolar disorder, completing
interviews and taking blood
samples every three to six
months. The researchers
conducted a variety of analyses
of the blood of a subset of
participants who reported a
dramatic shift from no suicidal
thoughts to strong suicidal
ideation. They identified
differences in gene expression
between the "low" and "high"
states of suicidal thoughts and
subjected those findings to a
system of genetic and genomic
analysis called Convergent
Functional Genomics that
identified and prioritized the best
markers by cross-validation with
other lines of evidence.

www.GlobalHealthTribune.com

T

By Dr. R. Sabates CLS, CME

here have been some
exciting advances in fat
removal. Liposuction is
now faster, cheaper and
safer. Non-invasive fat removal
techniques are the latest rage. If
liposuction is not for you, this
article is to help explain and
simplify the confusing array of
competing systems.

There are basically four
competing non-invasive medical
techniques that advertise
localized fat and cellulite
removal. They consist of; laser
light, cold exposure, heat with
radiofrequency, and cavitation
with ultrasound. Don’t get
confused with the name brand
equipment since they all use the
same basic four technologies.
The difference is in having a few
more bells and whistles (i.e.
price).
Then there is the equipment
imported from China of which
has not been approved by the
FDA and being sold on the
internet. They simply do not
work.
My story:

For numerous health reasons, I
finally decided to lose that
unwanted weight that was
making me miserable. Under a
doctor’s care, I chose to use a
controversial quick weight loss
method that uses hormone

September 2013

HEALTHCARE NEWS

Page 5

Cavi-Lipo News

injections and a strict 800 calorie
diet. Due to a good bit of
desperation and dedication, I lost
37 lbs. in about three months.
Surprisingly enough, I did this
without going hungry or
exercise. I kept the weight off
for four months, but couldn’t
lose the love handles or lax skin
folds - even with exercise.

Liposuction was not for me, so
for personal and professional
reasons, I decided to study and
evaluate the various non-invasive
techniques that claimed to
magically remove fat deposits
without surgical intervention.

After reviewing the techniques, I
wanted to share my results and
conclusions with you. Here is
the short version of a roundtable
medical convention that I
attended in Orlando which was
sponsored by the ASLM. It
featured experts within the four
technologies. Here were their
opinions.
1. Laser light does not work. At
least in 80% of patients in one
study. It required diet,
exercise and vibratory
massages.

2. Cold exposure works, but it is
expensive, cumbersome,
painful, and it doesn’t work on
cellulite.

3. Radiofrequency (RF) and
ultrasound were rated the best
by the panel with about the

same efficacy. RF uses heat
from electric currents and had
more discomfort with more
side effects than ultrasound.
Ultrasound uses radio wave is
painless and appeared to have
more long lasting effects.

4. All manufacturers claimed to
have the best machines that
give permanent results by
damaging the fat cells ability
to store fat.

I tried the last two and chose to
try Cavitation ultrasound, since I
didn’t like the torture.

Ultrasound has only recently
been approved by the FDA
(2012). Out of all the equipment
I have researched, I chose to use
a machine called CAVI-LIPO.
My decision was based on the
good long term reviews from the
European and Asian markets.

As you can see from my before
and after photos, so far, after

only seven treatments - the
results have been dramatic! I
spaced my treatments one week
apart, did not lose any additional
weight and really did not
exercise. I was so impressed
with the results, that I could not
wait to send my family and
friends the before and after
photos. Now, I am happy to
share my good news and photos
with you as well.
My good fortune can now be
your good fortune!

The CAVI-LIPO is currently
available in all nine Tropicalaser
Centers in South Florida. They
specialize in the latest in hair and
tattoo removal, facial
rejuvenation, and now have
added the CAVI-LIPO Body
Sculpting as well! Since putting
them in all of the centers, the
feedback from patients has been
100% positive. The one thing
that everyone has noticed and a
key element with this procedure

is the immediate measurable
results after the first treatment.
There is nothing more satisfying
than seeing a difference in your
appearance after just one visit.

CAVI-LIPO is not a weight-loss
formula and is only indicated for
patients that have 10-20lbs. left
to lose. It’s for those patients
that have stored fat in areas that
exercise and weight loss just
doesn’t seem to touch.
Personally, I highly recommend
it for that extra fat in the belly,
love handles, upper arms, and
cellulite of the thighs.

The news for non-invasive
painless fat removal is good and
it keeps getting better every day.

For additional information
about CAVI-LIPO, or any of
our other procedures, please
visit our website at
www.tropicalaser.com or call
561-753-3336.

Page 6

Upcoming Charity,
Medical or
Fundraising Events
September 2013
September 14

Families Against Drunk
Driving (FADD). PGA
Champion National Course,
Palm Beach Gardens. The
shotgun starts begins at 8:00am
and the cost is $125.00 per
person or $475.00 for a
foursome. For additional
information, contact John Nelson
at 772- 285-5828 or
john@famadd.org.

September 19

SOS Children’s Village. Spirit
of Home Luncheon. Boca West
County Club, Boca Raton. This
event begins at 11:00am. Tickets
are $65.00 and the proceeds
benefit the foster boys and girls
that are growing up at SOS. For
additional information, contact
Julie Selvaggi at 954-420-5030,
ext. 117, or at
jselvaggi@sosflorida.com. You
can also visit their website at
www.sosflorida.com.

September 20

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
“Pipeline for a Cure” at Jupiter
Beach Resort, Jupiter. This
event begins at 6:30pm and
includes cocktails, dancing,
auction, and appetizers. For
additional information, contact
Chandra Fuller at 561-683-9965
or cfuller@cff.org.
Send us your information at
events@globalhealthtribune.com

September 2013

HEALTH & WELLNESS

www.GlobalHealthTribune.com

Could A Daily Dose Of Red Wine
Reduce One's Risk Of Depression?

A

By Alice G. Walton

life has been well illustrated to
reduced depression risk, and
could easily influence the results
seen here.

The author is a Forbes contributor.

n enticing new study
from BMC Medicine
reports that people
over 55 who drink a
little alcohol, averaging about a
glass – generally of wine – per
day, are less likely to be
clinically depressed than those
who drink more and those who
don’t drink at all. The study
comes in direct contrast to many
earlier studies that have found an
opposite effect: That drinking is
more often associated with
increased risk for depression.
While are some legitimate
reasons that wine could have
some slight beneficial effects on
depression risk, before you go
picking up the habit if it’s not
already there, it’s important to
understand not only the reasons
behind the connection, but also
the risks involved.
The new study followed 5,000
Spanish men and women
between 55 and 80 for about
seven years, periodically
querying them about their
lifestyle habits via questionnaires
and doctor visits. No one
suffered from depression or
alcohol use disorders at the
beginning of the study. At the
end of the seven years, about 443
people had become depressed.

It turned out that low-tomoderate alcohol consumption
was linked to reduced risk of
depression: People who drank
between two and seven glasses
of wine per week seemed to
derive the greatest benefit,
having a third the risk of being
depressed as people who did not
drink. Moderate drinkers also
had lower risk of depression, but
it wasn’t as large as the low-to-

moderate group. The results held
true even after multiple lifestyle
factors were controlled for, such
as smoking, marital status, age,
physical activity level, and diet,
which can all influence
depression risk. Heavy drinkers
seemed to have an increased risk
of depression, although there
were too few of these people in
the study to say for sure.

If the connection really does
exist, one explanation might
have to do with the
neuroprotective effects of the
antioxidants in wine, like
resveratrol, which has gotten a
lot of attention in recent years.
“Lower amounts of alcohol
intake might exert protection in a
similar way to what has been
observed for coronary heart
disease,” said author Miguel A.
Martínez-González in a
statement. “In fact, it is believed
that depression and coronary
heart disease share some
common disease mechanisms.”
The mechanisms MartínezGonzález mentions have to do
with inflammation, which is
known to be a central cause of

heart disease, and there is
increasing evidence for its role in
depression as well. The
polyphenol antioxidants in wine
could help repair inflammatory
damage to the brain that has
contributed to depression.
“Previous investigations suggest
that the hippocampal complex
may play a role in the
development of major
depression,” say the authors.

“This neuroprotection applied to
the hippocampus may prevent
moderate wine drinkers from
developing depression.”
Another explanation, which is
unrelated to the content of wine,
might have to do with social
factors, which have long been
known to influence depression
risk. People who enjoy a glass of
wine or two might be more likely
to be doing so in a crowd of
people. Write the authors, the
study’s cohort “includes an older,
traditional Spanish
Mediterranean population, that
consumed chiefly wine, and
mainly in a context of
socialization with family or
friends.” Enjoying a rich social

Finally, also important to keep in
mind is the large body of
evidence suggesting that alcohol
and depression are linked
adversely, with one increasing
the risk of the other. It may also
be the case that some people,
because of genes and
environment, are predisposed to
problems with both – so in
essence there could be a third
variable at play, which might
increase one’s likelihood of
alcohol use and of depression.
For all of these reasons, the
results should be taken with
caution. This is especially true
since they were, after all, derived
from a relatively restricted
sample of people in a Spanish
Mediterranean population, none
of whom had ever had
depression, and who were all
over 55 years old. So how the
results would relate, if at all, to a
more inclusive sample is largely
unknown.

As with most studies looking at a
particular ingestible item – wine,
coffee, sugar, fat – to look for a
single answer is perhaps naïve.
Alcohol does not likely reduce
the risk of depression across the
board, since there are so many
other variables, like quantity,
type, and existing health and
mental health conditions. So the
best advice might be that if you
enjoy a glass of red wine every
now and then, you might do well
to continue for the health of your
heart and brain. But if you’re not
a fan, it’s not worth picking up
the habit, since it carries with it a
number of risks that just aren’t
worth messing around with.

Regulate Pot? Uruguay's been there, with whisky
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP)
— The government of Uruguay
makes Scotch whisky. It also
makes and sells rum, vodka and
cognac, and has done so for
nearly a century. Many people
consider this sideline of the state
to be an historical accident — a
wasteful and even eccentric
contradiction.

But President Jose Mujica says
Uruguay's long experience at the
center of the nation's liquor
business makes it more than
capable of dominating another
substance: marijuana.

Final Senate approval of
Uruguay's marijuana law is
expected by late September, and
the government plans to license
growers, sellers and users as
quickly as possible thereafter to
protect them from criminal drug
traffickers, ruling party Sen.
Lucia Topolansky, who is also
Uruguay's first lady, told The
Associated Press in an interview.

The law specifically creates a
legal marijuana monopoly,
making the government alone
responsible for importing,
producing, obtaining, storing,
commercializing, and distributing
a drug still considered illegal
around the world.

A state entity will license
producers and control
marijuana's distribution and sale
through the same neighborhood

pharmacies that sell prescription
medicines and toothpaste.
Purchases by licensed users will
be limited to 40 grams (1.4
ounces) a month. Pot-growing
cooperatives will be encouraged,
using government-approved
seeds, and people registered with
the state will be able to grow up
to six plants at home for personal
use, as long as they harvest no
more than 480 grams (17 ounces)
a year.

The project passed the House
by just one vote, and while the
ruling Broad Front coalition has
an easier majority in the Senate,
Mujica has been campaigning
actively for its passage,
reminding Uruguayans that
their government has been
controlling the market for
addictive substances ever since
the beginning of the 20th
century, when President Jose
Batlle y Ordonez wanted the
state to monopolize alcohol
production.
"Don Jose Batlle y Ordonez had
courage," Mujica said in one of
his folksy nationwide radio talks,
which sound much like the
"fireside chats" that President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt used
to broadcast to Americans. "The
state grabbed it and made a
monopoly of alcohol, because it
couldn't stop the booze, and he
said "at least don't poison the
people — the booze should be
good."

Batlle y Ordonez was ahead of
his time in promoting social
change in Latin America, from
the separation of church and state
to the eight-hour workday and
maternity leave. And he had
several goals for alcohol: He
wanted the whisky to generate
government revenues and
guarantee a profit stream for
farmers, funding the production
of a national fuel so that
Uruguay's cars and trucks
wouldn't need imported gasoline.
Uruguay wasn't alone in that
fight: In 1925 Henry Ford was
promoting alcohol as the fuel of
the future, and it was being
blended with gasoline from
France to the Philippines. But
like many other countries,
Uruguay never achieved this
energy independence. Oil
companies won an intense global
campaign to focus on fossil
fuels, a trend that held until
Brazil started using alcohol
blends in the 1980s.

www.GlobalHealthTribune.com

September 2013

Page 7

HEALTHCARE NEWS

S

'Molecular basis' for jet lag found

BBC News

cientists believe they have
figured out why it takes us
so long to adapt when we
travel to new time zones.

B

Insomniacs' brains lose focus, scans suggest

rain scans of people who
say they have insomnia
have shown differences in
brain function compared with
people who get a full night's
sleep.
Researchers at the University of
California, San Diego, said the
poor sleepers struggled to focus
part of their brain in memory
tests. Other experts said that the
brain's wiring may actually be
affecting perceptions of sleep
quality.
The findings were published in
the journal Sleep.

People with insomnia struggle to
sleep at night, but it also has
consequences during the day
such as delayed reaction times
and memory.

The study compared 25 people
who said they had insomnia with
25 who described themselves as
good sleepers. MRI brain scans
were carried out while they
performed increasingly
challenging memory tests.

One of the researchers, Prof Sean
Drummond, said: "We found that
insomnia subjects did not
properly turn on brain regions
critical to a working memory
task and did not turn off 'mindwandering' brain regions
irrelevant to the task.

"This data helps us understand
that people with insomnia not
only have trouble sleeping at
night, but their brains are not
functioning as efficiently during
the day." A sleep researcher in
the UK, Dr Neil Stanley, said
that the quality of the sleep each
group was having was very
similar, even though one set was
reporting insomnia.

He said: "What's the chicken and
what's the egg? Is the brain
different and causing them to
report worse sleep?

"Maybe they're perceiving what
happened in the night differently;
maybe what is affecting their
working memory and ability to
focus on the task at hand is also
causing insomnia."

Researchers at Oxford University
say they have found the
"molecular brakes" that prevent
light resetting the body clock
when we fly - causing jet lag.
Experiments, reported in the
journal Cell, showed
"uncoupling" these brakes in
mice allowed them to rapidly
adapt. Researchers hope the
discovery will help find new
drugs for jet lag and mental
health treatments.
The body clock keeps us in tune
with the pattern of day and night.
It means we sleep at night, but
also affects hunger, mood and
blood pressure. Light acts like a
reset button to keep the clock to
time, but when we fly around the
world it takes time for our body
clocks to adjust. The resulting
fatigue, which can last for days,
is known as jet lag.

Master clock
The research team, funded by
The Wellcome Trust, was trying
to figure out why people do not
instantly adapt. They looked in
mice as all mammals have the
same core body clock
mechanisms. They focused on
the "master clock" in a part of
the brain, which keeps the rest of
the body in sync, called the

suprachiasmatic nuclei. They
were looking for sections of
DNA that changed their activity
levels in response to light.

They found a huge numbers of
genes were activated, but then a
protein called SIK1 went round
turning them all off again. It was
acting as a brake by limiting the
effect of light. Experiments to
reduce the function of SIK1
meant the mice could rapidly
adjust their body clock when it
was shifted six hours - the
equivalent of a flight from the
UK to India.

Reset
Prof Russell Foster told the
BBC: "We reduced levels by 5060%, which is big enough to get
a very, very big effect. What we
saw was the mice would actually
advance their clock six hours
within a day [rather than taking
six days for untreated mice].

"We've know there's been a brake
on the clock for some time, but
we had absolutely no idea what it
is, this provides a molecular
basis for jet lag and as a result
new targets for potentially

developing new drugs."
He said some mental health
disorders including
schizophrenia were linked to an
out-of-tune body clock, so these
findings may open up new areas
for research.

The brakes are likely to be in
place to prevent the body clock
from becoming erratic and being
reset by artificial or moon light.
Dr Akhilesh Reddy, a specialist
in the body clock, at the
University of Cambridge, was
very confident that treatments
would follow as "it is a very

drugable target and I would
suspect there are lots of potential
drugs already developed". He
told the BBC: "We have known
a lot about the basis of jet lag
and why it occurs. "This shows
how you can get into the brain
and manipulated the clock,
which is why this study is
important.
"We have drugs which can make
the clock shorter or longer, what
we need is to shift it to a new
time zone and that is what they
have done.

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www.GlobalHealthTribune.com

September 2013

ONCOLOGY NEWS

Cancer Related Fatigue

Is CRF common?
Yes. CRF is estimated to affect
up to 90% of patients that are
treated with radiation and up to
80% of those treated with
chemotherapy.

What can be done to help
manage CRF?
There are several ways to treat
CRF. For most people, slowly
increasing exercise is one of the
most effective methods.
Initially, the exercise plan may
need careful planning and
monitoring by a therapist. Your
physician can help you decide if
such a program is right for you
now.

Can exercise really help me
when I already feel so tired?
Yes! There have been many
experimental studies that have
asked this same question and the
results have been very good. In
fact, exercise appears to be one
of the most effective treatments
when compared to all other
“non-pharmacologic” (or nonmedicine) interventions for CRF.
These studies have also shown
that exercise is safe for most
people who have or have had
cancer.

What is Cancer-Related Fatigue?
Cancer-related fatigue, or CRF,
is very different from “everyday”
tiredness. Individuals with
cancer-related fatigue experience
an overwhelming sense of
tiredness, or exhaustion that is
out of proportion to the activity
they have undergone. CRF
interferes with normal day to day
functioning.
What are the symptoms of
CRF?
• A lack of energy or interest in

Page 9

• American College of Sports
Medicine (ACSM) Cancer
Certified Exercise Trainers
• State of the art fitness center
with easy access and front-door
designated parking for
participants in the CRF
Program. Lockers are also
available

doing everyday basic activities,
such as eating, bathing and
dressing
• Spending more time in bed and
more time sleeping
• Feeling exhausted, even after
sleeping
• Inability to work

What causes CRF?
Although the causes are not fully
known, CRF is related to cancer
treatment, such as radiation and
chemotherapy. There are many
contributing factors, such as low
red blood cell counts (anemia),
improper nutrition, lack of sleep,
too little exercise and possibly
changes in the “power-plants” of
the body’s cells.

What can I expect from the
Cancer-Related Fatigue
Program at Palm Beach
Atlantic University?
• A Comprehensive physical
therapy evaluation
• An individualized exercise
program based on your specific
needs
• A six-week program, meeting 3
times weekly
• Physical Therapist supervised
• A specialized cancer
rehabilitation health care
practitioner is available to
initially evaluate you and
monitor your progress in the
program

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cooking demonstration

Continuous communication with
your referring physician in order
to adjust your program when
changes in your medical regimen

How can I get started in an
exercise program?
It is recommended that you are
medically cleared by your
physician. If your physician feels
that you are ready to start
exercise, the CRF Program at
Palm Beach Atlantic University
can help. You can also be
evaluated by the CRF Program
doctor (see below).
What is the cost?
The Cancer-Related Fatigue
Exercise Program at Palm Beach
Atlantic University is offered at
no cost. Our mission at Palm
Beach Atlantic University is to
reach out to members of our
community and offer needed
services that may not be
available elsewhere, or may be
unaffordable.

Contact Information
Feel free to contact us anytime
with any questions, for a
consultation, or to arrange for a
tour of our facility.
Stephen Sylvester, DPT, CSCS,
CCET
Assistant Professor Exercise
Science/Director CRF Program
Email:
Stephen_Sylvester@pba.edu
Phone: (561) 346-1773

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hope to see you soon

What Is Scoliosis? Should I Be Worried?
that there is quite a bit of confusion
about what scoliosis is, and how it
can affect your child's health. Many
people remember going into the
school nurse's office every so often
and get a scoliosis test where they
bend down from their waste and
touch their toes.

Dr. Jonathan Chung is a Doctor of
Chiropractic who focuses on
Structural Correction and is
primarily concerned with Structural
Shifts of the spine. He graduated
from the University of Central
Florida with a B.S. in Microbiology
and Molecular Biology. Dr. Chung
then went on and received his
doctorate from Life University's
College of Chiropractic. Dr. Chung
is certified in pediatrics from the
International Chiropractic Pediatric
Association, and is a Structural
Chiropractic Researcher who has
been published in scientific peerreviewed journals.

A

By Jonathan Chung, DC

s school starts around the
country, many parents
have concerns about
backpacks and scoliosis
screenings. What's the truth?
As I speak to more and more
patients, I've come to a realization

But what is scoliosis? Scoliosis
involves a curved deformity in the
spine. When you look at someone
from front to back, the bones that
make up the spine (vertebrae) should
stack up nice and straight. When
there is a scoliosis present, the
vertebrae will deviate to the side and
form a curved C or S shape. Now
very few people are perfectly
straight, but when the curve exceeds
10 degrees, it is usually deemed a
scoliosis.

Many people can have a scoliosis
and never feel any effects or
symptoms from it. Others may
experience more common symptoms
like back pain, neck/shoulder
tension, and posture/cosmetic
problems. In rare cases, the
curvature can become large enough
(50 degrees or more), that it can
compress the chest cavity causing
respiratory and cardiac problems,
and become a surgical issue.
Scoliosis comes in 2 main forms.
There are is a functional scoliosis
which is typically named idiopathic
scoliosis, and there is a scoliosis
called structural/anatomical
scoliosis.

• A structural/anatomical scoliosis is
caused by a malformed vertebra
which can force the spine to a curved
position as it seeks to get back to

center. This type of scoliosis cannot
be fully corrected and it can also
lead to larger curvatures depending
on how malformed the vertebra is.

• A functional/idiopathic scoliosis is
named as such because there is
typically no medically known cause.
This is the most common type of
scoliosis. These types of curvatures
can be corrected and reduced
significantly through conservative
means when caught before a person
is fully developed.

The real question is, should you be
worried?

The truth is, if you're just worried
about pain, then probably not. Many
times, scoliosis is asymptomatic,
especially in children. In fact, most
people will probably go through
their childhood with no knowledge
that it is even there. For the category
of idiopathic scoliosis, it is often the
secondary result of a structural shift
in one or more bones in the spine or
pelvis...
Most doctors are concerned when
the curvature surpasses 20 degrees
and begin watching the curve for
progression. As the curve approaches
30 degrees, bracing becomes a
common recommendation, and
cosmetic concerns become more

obvious, especially for teenage girls
where image is everything. When the
curve grows 40 degrees, surgery
starts to become a real option for
treatment to prevent compression of
the heart and lungs.
The key is catching these curves
early. Scoliosis is most commonly
found in girls during adolescence,
which is a great window of
opportunity for structural correction.
No matter how small the curve may
be, a conservative approach to
correction may be in a young
person's best interests. Just like how
a bent frame of a car can create
suspension problems and tire
wear/tear, a bent spine can increase
the damage the spine experiences
throughout life. I've seen x-rays of
people well into their 40's and 50's
who have never experienced spine
pain, but will show a scoliotic spine
with disc degeneration and bone
spurs in the exact pattern that the
structural alignment would dictate.
As the spine shows early wear and
tear, the nerves can get damaged,
and symptoms of damage into the
muscles, ligaments, and even the
vital organs of the body can start to
show.
As a worried parent, what can you
do? Here are a few tips:

1. Get a spinal check up by someone
who is focused on the health of the
spine! Nurses and general
practitioners do a great job of
identifying major curvatures using
basic screening tools, but these will
typically identify cases of scoliosis
that are excessively large and may be
candidates for surgery. A
chiropractor focused on structural

correction instead of pain relief can
recognize smaller deviations and
provide tools to correct them if
necessary.

2. Avoid the one shoulder back pack
routine. It may look cooler and be
more comfortable, but extra forces
on a spine that isn't optimally
positioned can increase scoliotic
curves.
3. Stay active. Movement is life and
a spine that moves early and often
has more pliability and flexibility
than one that is sedentary and stiff.

4. Keep the weight down. If you had
a crooked house and you add more
weight to it, what happens to the
house? It breaks down faster. The
same thing happens to the body. If
you build more mass on top of a
crooked structure, it will lead to
earlier degeneration. Stay fit.

If the scoliosis is large but not
correctable, the best thing a parent
can do is provide love and emotional
support. Though it's not typically
cause pain or serious illness, it can
be a label that wears on the psyche
of a teenager or young adult because
other young people and gym class
bullies may poke fun of their
condition. Adolescence is a
psychologically trying period for any
young person, and another label is
the last thing they need, especially if
major surgery may be one of the
options on the table. Providing your
child with a strong base of
confidence and self-esteem, along
with proper management of scoliosis
can help ensure a happy and healthy
school year.

Keystone Chiropractic is focused on structural correction of the spine. We use state of the art
technology and techniques to restore full function of the spine and nervous system to allow the
innate recuperative capacity of the body to work optimally.

www.GlobalHealthTribune.com

September 2013

Page 11

PRACTICE TRENDS

ZZZZZZzzzzzz!

realize that the symptoms I just
mentioned in the first paragraph
of this article could be all related
to lack of sleep?

go to sleep. They start reading
and responding to emails or send
text messages to friends or their
business partners. This late night
communication ritual could be
quite stressful and should not be
done before bed. Personally, I
would exchange that late night
communication for the morning
hours before going to work, so as
to avoid sleeping with a heavy
mind or heart. My
recommendation is to switch off
your cell phones and computers
before bedtime.

So, what makes one not sleep
well at night?

Have you ever really dissected the
reasons in your mind? Well, let
me take this opportunity to give
you many different reasons why
one cannot sleep well at night.

H

First, you could be getting up
multiple times at night to urinate.
You may have an overactive
bladder, uncontrolled diabetes
mellitus which makes one
urinate more often than usual, or
possibly one can have a urinary
tract infection or prostatic
enlargement. Other reasons may
be chronic pain, such as low
back pain, various joint pains,
and last but certainly not least is
that it could be a condition called
sleep apnea.

Shekhar V. Sharma, M.D.
Board Certified in Internal Medicine

ave you ever
experienced
complaints from a
family member or
close friend about how bad they
feel during the day and are
unable to focus at their job?
They complain about feeling
sleepy during the day, having
fatigue along with several other
issues, such as depression and
headaches which for the layman,
could just spell out another bad
day. But, have you ever stopped
to think about what a doctor
would think about these
symptoms?

Most often, people that I have
seen in my practice that have
difficulty sleeping either have
severe depression, a lot of stress
in their life, some sort of an
allergy, chronic nasal congestion,
or seem to be a bit of a
worrywart. The next thing I
have to decipher is what to do
next. During the exam, I have to
ask many complex questions in
order to get the answers that will
help me to determine what the

When a patient comes into the
office for a brief visit with those
same complaints and possibly
more, we know there may be
many medical conditions that are
often related to some other
disease or ailment. Do you

problem is and what should one
do about it. It is not always easy
to treat insomnia as you have
seen in the case of singer,
Michael Jackson. He had such
severe insomnia and resorted to
taking an intravenous anesthetic
in order to fall asleep and get
some rest. Of course, this is not
the way to go about treating your
insomnia.

People that have insomnia,
sleeplessness, or have
experienced an impaired sleep
pattern have a lack of
concentration and focus during
the day. They struggle with
headaches, moodiness,

depression, and if they have a
condition called sleep apnea, this
could lead to various medical
disorders like hypertension,
diabetes mellitus type 2, which
can also lead to various
cardiovascular complications.
In this article, it would be
difficult for me to tell you how I
go about diagnosing those
underlying conditions leading to
insomnia, because each
individual is different.

There is one thing that I have
experienced to be quite common
in insomniacs - they get into
their email or phones before they

Lastly, I recommend avoidance
of heavy late night dinners,
alcohol consumption, and
drinking excessive amounts of
liquids before bedtime,
especially caffeinated drinks like
coffee and tea.

I would like to share a quote with
you by the great Mahatma
Gandhi who said, “Each night,
when I go to sleep, I die. And the
next morning, when I wake up, I
am reborn.” Now that is what a
good night sleep can make him
feel the next morning. My quote
would be “When you sleep, it
should be deep, so the next day
could be sweet”.

If you are experiencing sleepless
nights, give my office a call and I
would be happy to find out
exactly what the cause is so you
too can start to get a peaceful
night of sleep.

PALM BEACH PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATES, INC.
State of the Art Office Building with Imaging Center

in 2011 under the guise of an
immunization program. The
threats have left residents like the
shopkeeper Wali, who lives in
the town of Miran Shah, with the
difficult decision of whether to
defy the militants by smuggling
the vaccine in for his children
from the main northwest city of
Peshawar.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) —
Syed Wali desperately wants to
immunize his three young
children against polio but fears
the Islamic militants who banned
the vaccine from this remote area
in northwest Pakistan will catch
him if he tries to smuggle it in.

"I can afford to bring the vaccine
for my children, but what answer
will I give the Taliban if they
recover the vaccine bag from my
possession?" Wali asked. Wali's
fears are shared by many in the
North Waziristan tribal area as
health authorities recently
confirmed five new polio cases
there and suspect there are many
more. It's one of a series of
outbreaks this year in parts of the
country where security threats
have kept out vaccination teams.

Officials worry these outbreaks
— inflamed by militant threats
and attacks on vaccination teams
— could worsen and spread to
other parts of Pakistan,
especially since the country is
entering the high season for virus
transmission. "It's not like a pot
of boiling water where you see
bubbles coming from
everywhere, but there is steam
coming out from specific areas,"
said Dr. Elias Durry, emergency
coordinator for polio eradication
in Pakistan for the World Health

Organization. "Our fear is that
the virus from these areas can go
out and seriously jeopardize the
success in fighting polio that has
been achieved in the past couple
of years." Pakistan — one of
only three countries left where
polio is endemic — had 198
confirmed cases in 2011, the
highest number of any nation in
the world. Pakistan was able to
bring that number down to 58 in
2012 through a vaccination
program that is supported by the
United Nations.

But the militant threats could
reverse that progress. There have
been 27 confirmed polio cases in
Pakistan so far this year — the
third highest total in the world
after Somalia and Nigeria.
Seventeen of them have occurred
in the country's semiautonomous
tribal region, the main sanctuary

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for Taliban and al-Qaida
militants, Durry said.

Two powerful Pakistani Taliban
militants have banned
vaccinators from North and
South Waziristan over roughly
the past year because of their
opposition to U.S. drone strikes.
Gunmen have also killed over a
dozen vaccination workers and
police guards in different areas
of the country. Many suspect the
Taliban of carrying out the
murders, although the group has
denied the allegation.

Militants have claimed the
vaccine is meant to sterilize
Muslim children and accused
health workers of being U.S.
spies. The allegation gained
traction after the CIA used a
Pakistani doctor to try to confirm
the presence of Osama bin Laden

Some families couldn't afford to
make the six-hour journey to get
the vaccine from Peshawar, the
capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
province, even if they wanted to
take the risk. Health workers
have stationed themselves at two
checkpoints protected by the
army in North Waziristan, where
they are vaccinating children
riding by in vehicles. But many
people are afraid the militants
will find out if they vaccinate
their children at the checkpoints.

The polio virus, which usually
infects children in unsanitary
conditions, attacks the nerves
and can kill or paralyze. It can
spread widely and unnoticed
before it starts crippling children.
On average, about one in 200
cases will result in paralysis.
Durry, the WHO official, said
authorities have confirmed five
polio cases in North Waziristan
and three others in the nearby
district of Bannu this year.
The five cases in North
Waziristan were confirmed since

Palm Beach
Gastroenterology
Consultants, LLC

the beginning of August, two of
them on Wednesday, said a local
health official, speaking on
condition of anonymity because
he was not authorized to talk to
the media. Officials are still
investigating 20 suspected cases,
he said.

There have been a total of 12
confirmed cases since the
militant ban, the official said.
Tribal elders sent to ask the
militants to change their minds
haven't been successful, said
Jahan Mir, a senior government
health official in Miran Shah.
There also have been confirmed
polio cases this year in the
Khyber tribal area and the
provinces of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Punjab,
Durry said. Health officials had
planned to immunize 34 million
children across the country, but
1.5 million have not received the
vaccine because of security
threats, he said.

Threats by al-Qaida-linked
militants also have hampered
vaccination efforts this year in
Somalia, which has suffered the
worst polio outbreak in the
world. The country has
confirmed 108 cases so far, more
than all other countries
combined, according to the
Global Polio Eradication
Initiative website. There have
been at least 192 confirmed cases
worldwide in 2013.

At Palm Beach Surgery Center we provide a safe and friendly environment, with a highly qualified and dedicated staff. A variety of procedures such as colonoscopy, endoscopy,
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www.GlobalHealthTribune.com

I

September 2013

Page 13

AROUND TOWN

Another Successful Open House
for Select Specialty Hospital

n an effort to educate and
raise awareness about the
Long Term Acute Care
Hospital setting or LTACH,
Select Specialty Hospital held
their annual open house on
Thursday, August 29. Although
Select is open 365 days a year to
the community, their “Vegas
Night” themed party is held once
a year to make it a little more
exciting for healthcare
professionals. It also gives them
an opportunity to view and learn
about the hospital in a fun

setting.
This year’s event was a huge
success and we truly appreciate
all of those individuals that were
able to attend. For those
professionals that could not
attend, we are extending an
open invitation to tour our
hospital and see for yourselves
exactly what makes us stand out
above and beyond all other
hospitals.
Posted below are a few photos
from this year's event. All chips
had zero monetary value and
were given out free of charge.

Director of Business Development, Mike Corvaia and CEO,
Larry Melby pose for the camera at their 2nd annual Vegas
Night themed open house held for Palm Beach Counties
respected healthcare professionals.

Things are heating up on the Craps table.

Head of Plant Operations, Nick Sanders, deals a friendly game
of blackjack at one of the three available gaming tables that
evening.

Page 14

September 2013

HEALTHCARE NEWS

www.GlobalHealthTribune.com

Thimerosal and 2013-2014 Seasonal Flu Vaccines

Is thimerosal in vaccines linked
to autism?

From the CDC

What is thimerosal?

Numerous studies have found no
association between thimerosal
exposure and autism. CDC places
a high priority on vaccine safety,
surveillance, and research. CDC
is aware that the presence of the
preservative thimerosal in
vaccines and allegations of a
relationship to autism have raised
public concerns.

Thimerosal is a mercury-based
preservative that has been used
for decades in the United States
in multi-dose vials (vials
containing more than one dose)
of some vaccines to prevent the
growth of germs, bacteria and
fungi, that can contaminate them.
What are preservatives and why
are they sometimes used in
vaccines?

Preservatives have been used in
vaccines for more than 70 years
and are added to vaccines to
prevent the growth of bacteria or
fungi that could possibly make
the vaccine in multi-dose vials
unsafe. This may occur when a
syringe needle enters a vial as a
vaccine is being prepared for
administration. Contamination
by germs in a vaccine could
cause serious infections.
Do the 2013-2014 seasonal flu
vaccines contain thimerosal?

The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has
approved several formulations of
the seasonal flu vaccine,
including multi-dose vials and
single-dose units.

Since seasonal influenza vaccine
is produced in large quantities
for annual immunization
campaigns, some of the vaccine
is produced in multi-dose vials,
and contains thimerosal to

safeguard against possible
contamination of the vial once it
is opened.

The single-dose units are made
without thimerosal as a
preservative because they are
intended to be opened and used
only once. Additionally, the liveattenuated version of the vaccine
(the nasal spray vaccine), is
produced in single-dose units
and does not contain thimerosal.
Is thimerosal being used in
other vaccines?

Since 2001, no new vaccine
licensed by FDA for use in
children has contained
thimerosal as a preservative, and
all vaccines routinely
recommended by CDC for
children younger than 6 years of

age have been thimerosal-free, or
contain only trace amounts of
thimerosal, except for multi-dose
formulations of influenza
vaccine. The most recent and
rigorous scientific research does
not support the argument that
thimerosal-containing vaccines
are harmful. However, CDC and
FDA continually evaluate new
scientific information about the
safety of vaccines.

Is thimerosal in vaccines safe?
Yes. There is a large body of
scientific evidence on the safety
of thimerosal. Data from several
studies show the low doses of
thimerosal in vaccines do not
cause harm, and are only
associated with minor local
injection site reactions like
redness and swelling at the
injection site.

Three U.S. health agencies (The
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), and
the National Institutes of Health
(NIH)) have reviewed the
published research on thimerosal
and found it to be a safe product
to use in vaccines. Three
independent organizations [The
National Academy of Sciencesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;
Institute of Medicine, Advisory
Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP), and the
American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP)] reviewed the published
research and also found
thimerosal to be a safe product to
use in vaccines. The medical
community supports the use of
thimerosal in influenza vaccines
to protect against potential
bacterial contamination of multidose vials.

These concerns have made
decisions surrounding
vaccinations confusing and
difficult for some people. Since
2001, no new vaccine licensed by
FDA for use in children has
contained thimerosal as a
preservative and all vaccines
routinely recommended by CDC
for children younger than 6 years
of age have been thimerosal-free,
or contain only trace amounts of
thimerosal, except for some
formulations of influenza
vaccine. Unfortunately,
reductions in the numbers of
children identified with autism
have not been observed
indicating that the cause of
autism is not related to a single
exposure such as thimerosal.

The federal government is
committed to ensuring the safety
of vaccines. This is achieved by
FDA oversight of rigorous prelicensure trials and post-licensure
monitoring by CDC and FDA.
This commitment stems from
scientific, medical and personal
dedication.

Caffeine in diet supplements all over the map

What stood out to him was how
common inaccurate labeling or
lack of information was, across
the board.

The amount of caffeine in diet supplements
varies widely and product labels are often
inaccurate or have no caffeine information
at all, according to a new study of
supplements sold on military bases.
Although the caffeine doses probably
wouldn't be a problem on their own, they
may cause issues when the pills or powders
are combined with energy drinks, coffee and
other high-caffeine food and beverages,
researchers said.
Genevra Pittman

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) The amount of caffeine in diet
supplements varies widely and
product labels are often
inaccurate or have no caffeine
information at all, according to a
new study of supplements sold
on military bases.

Although the caffeine doses
probably wouldn't be a problem
on their own, they may cause
issues when the pills or powders
are combined with energy drinks,
coffee and other high-caffeine
food and beverages, researchers
said.

"Consumers really have no idea
when they're purchasing
supplements what's in them, even
if they carefully read the label,"

"When we look at the totality of
products that have caffeine in
them that are consumed on
military bases, half the bushel is
rotten," he told Reuters Health.

said Dr. Pieter Cohen from
Harvard Medical School in
Boston, who worked on the new
study.

He and his colleagues analyzed
the caffeine content of 31 dietary
supplements sold on military
bases that are known to have
added caffeine or herbal
ingredients that naturally contain
caffeine.

Eleven of the supplements listed
herbal ingredients, and all of
those had no caffeine or only
minimal traces, the research team
reported this week in JAMA
Internal Medicine.

Among the other 20 products,
nine had labels with accurate
caffeine information. Another
five had varying caffeine

contents that were either much
lower or higher than the amount
listed on the label.

The remaining six products did
not have caffeine levels on their
labels, but had very high
amounts according to the
chemical analysis - between 210
and 310 milligrams per serving.
In comparison, an eight-ounce
cup of coffee has about 100 mg
of caffeine.

Those levels are especially
worrisome for military service
members abroad, he said,

because side effects of caffeine
such as tremors and anxiety may
hit them extra hard due to the
stressful environment.
Too much caffeine, according to
Cohen, "could push one over
from just being a little on edge to
having a full-blown panic attack."
One limitation of the study was
that the researchers only tested
one of each supplement. Because
of that, Cohen, who is also an
internist at Cambridge Health
Alliance, said it wouldn't be right
to call out any single company
on its products.

A spokesperson for GNC, which
produces and sells diet and
nutritional supplements, told
Reuters Health in an email, "We
believe that all GNC brand
labeling is appropriate as to
ingredients and dosage. GNC
does, like many other retailers,
sell third party products and
questions on their labeling
practices should be addressed
directly to those manufacturers."

Cohen said the laws for
regulating supplements are
"inadequate," but that the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) also isn't doing a good
enough job enforcing the
labeling regulations that do exist.

The FDA public affairs office did
not respond to requests for
comment before press time.
Cohen recommended that nonmilitary members also avoid
supplements that list caffeine on
the label - since it's hard to know
just how much of it they actually
contain.

www.GlobalHealthTribune.com

September 2013

Page 15

AROUND TOWN

Delray Medical Center Appoints
New Assistant Chief Nursing Officer
Delray Beach, Fla.
(September 3, 2013) –
Delray Medical Center is
proud to promote Cheryl
Wild from Director of
Cardiac Telemetry and
Regency Oncology to
Assistant Chief Nursing
Officer. In her new role,
Wild will assist the Chief
Nursing Officer, Jennifer
Chiusano, in the
operational responsibility
of ensuring high quality
nursing care at Delray
Medical Center. As a key
member of the nursing
team, Wild will play a role
in directing the nursing
leadership team while
emphasizing shared
governance and leadership
development.
“We are extremely pleased
to have Cheryl as our new

Cheryl Wild.

Assistant Chief Nursing
Officer,” said Chief
Executive Officer Mark
Bryan. “Based on her
many accomplishments in
her previous roles, she will
no doubt continue to be an
instrumental asset to our
team.”
Wild’s career at Delray
Medical Center began in
July 2011 as the Director
of Regency. She was

responsible for overseeing
medical oncology and
medical surgical services.
During her tenure, Wild
restructured the unit,
supported the oncology
certification for the
registered nurses and
facilitated the Cancer
Committee. In Nov. 2012,
her role expanded to
Director of Cardiac
Telemetry where she
managed the daily
operations of the cardiac
telemetry/observation unit.
Wild helped support the
Cardiac Movement Plan
and formulated the Cardiac
Education Series.
Wild received her Bachelor
of Science in nursing from
Trenton State College. She
holds a Master’s in
business administration
with a management
distinction from The
Trinity College and
University.

Dear Deborah

DEAR DEBORAH:
This isn’t so much of a question, but an
opinion. I have tried a few online dating
sites and have settled on one that seems
to have a classier selection of women.
When I first put my profile up, I did not
put an income and only received a few
responses a week. Since I posted my
annual salary and had it verified, I am
getting several responses a day. Most of
the responses come from women that
could be my daughter or live outside the
U.S. One might think it’s a sugar daddy
service, but it’s not. To me, this was
more a lesson than an opportunity to date
these apparent gold diggers.
- How much do you make?

Dear How much do you make:
It’s always interesting when men first
realize how truly powerful money can be
when looking for a partner (online or
offline). If you are looking for someone
to have as young arm candy, you will
often have to make a trade in one form or
another. In most cases, it’s financial. If

DEAR DEBORAH:
I went out to dinner with a guy I met
online. We communicated for a few
weeks prior to our first meeting and
really got along well. Our dinner date
was amazing and our chemistry was
undeniable. However, he was texting
periodically throughout the evening.
The more drinks he had and the later it
got, the more he was on his phone
texting. The date lasted five hours with
dinner, drinks, and eventually sitting
outside. Once I left, I found myself
annoyed with his behavior. I texted him
the next day and told him how I felt. He
responded with a terse apology and that
was that, we never spoke again. Is there
a way that I could have handled this
differently?
- Can you wait until you get home?

Dear Can I please have a second:
There is no rhyme or reason when and if
a man will contact you after a date. The
best advice that I can give is NOT to sit
and wait for him to contact you. If he is
truly interested, he will contact you
within the next day or two. If you had a
good time, thank him after the date by
telling him that you really enjoyed
yourself and would like to get together
again soon. If he does not get in touch
with you after a few days… move on.

you want to find
someone that will be
interested in you and not your money –
remove your income.

Dear Can you wait until you get
home:
I am so sorry it didn’t work out the
way you would have wanted. I hate to
be the bearer of bad news, but he was
just not into you. Unless it’s
something urgent, you should never be
on your phone during a date, especially
a first date. His priority was not you –
it was whomever he was texting. If
you felt that strongly, you could have
addressed it on the date and perhaps he
would have put his phone away.
Whenever you go on a first date, YOU
should be a priority and given 100% of
his or her attention. If you cannot
maintain their attention on the first date
– you never will. If this situation
comes up again, I suggest you end your
date early and do not go out with that
person again. Or, you can simply end
your date after an hour or two, which
will hopefully leave them wanting
more.

Dear Deborah is a monthly advice column written by Deborah Lynn with a common
sense approach to dating. If you have any questions or comments, please forward
them to: questions@globalhealthtribune.com as we would love to help.

DEAR DEBORAH:
I have gone out on several first dates
recently. Some went well and others did
not. I was curious how long I should
wait for my date to contact me after we
go out? So far, it’s been between two
days to never hearing from him again.
What can I do to encourage my date to
contact me?
- Can I please have a second?

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